Ingredients
2cupsconfectioner’s sugar
1almond flour,close to cup
3egg whites,room temperature, around large egg whites
⅛tspsalt
granulated sugar,or caster sugar, sifted
ground cinnamon
½cupunsalted butter,softened to room temperature
1½cupsconfectioner’s sugar
1tsppure vanilla extract
⅓cupsalted caramel,store bought or homemade
Preparation
Place the confectioners’ sugar and almond flour in a food processor or blender and pulse or blend for 30 seconds until thoroughly combined and fine in texture. Set aside.
In a completely dry and grease-free bowl, beat the egg whites and salt together on medium speed for 1 minute. Switch to high speed and beat just until stiff peaks form for about 3 minutes.
Do not overbeat. Using a metal spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold in the sifted granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon at a time.
Using a metal spoon or rubber spatula, fold in the confectioners’ sugar or almond flour mixture until combined. Once completely combined, the mixture will be smooth, sticky, and glossy.
Let the batter sit uncovered at room temperature for 10 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, fit your piping bag with the piping tip.
Line 2 to 3 baking sheets with silicone baking mats.
Fill the piping bag with the batter and pipe evenly sized rounds onto the baking sheets. Make sure you are holding the bag vertically and close to the baking sheet.
Gently tap the bottom of the baking sheets on your counter to rid any large air bubbles. Lightly sprinkle cinnamon on each.
Let the piped rounds sit for at least 45 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Bake the macarons for 10 minutes, one baking sheet at a time. Rotate the pan at the 5-minute mark. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet before filling.
In a medium bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on high speed until completely smooth and creamy.
Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until combined and creamy, then beat in the vanilla extract. Gently fold in the salted caramel until mostly combined. Add more salted caramel if desired.
Fill and sandwich two shells together to form an iconic French macaron cookie.
